TG4 All-Ireland Junior Championship: Antrim v Wicklow (Sunday, Mullahoran, 2pm)
ANTRIM have already qualified for the All-Ireland Junior Championship semi-finals but know a win against title favourites Wicklow in Mullahoran on Sunday will guarantee them a top two finish in the group.
The Saffrons have bounced back emphatically from their opening round defeat to Derry with superb wins over Carlow and Limerick to sit with two wins from three and a superior goal difference over second-placed Wicklow, who have also qualified, though their opponents do have a game in hand.
With five counties in the group, two wins for any team is enough to seal a place in the knockout stages and while they have achieved their first aim in reaching the semis, they will want to continue with the momentum they have built up in their last two games.
That said, manager Emma Kelly and her backroom team will not be underestimating the task at hand. Wicklow are last year’s junior runners-up losing to Fermanagh and had been hotly tipped to land that All-Ireland title. They started off this championship campaign as favourites go one step further this time around and claim the junior honours.
So far, Wicklow have defeated Limerick and Carlow in their two games and will finish up with Derry next weekend. They might not have lit up the championship yet but they are getting the job done and at this stage that is all that’s needed. They have a strong full-forward line in Meadhbh Deeney, Clodagh Fox and Marie Kealey with Rioghna McGettigan, Catherine Dempsey and Laurie Ahern all also able to cause Antrim a lot of problems.
In contrast, Antrim have blazed a trail in the competition so far, that defeat to Derry a distant memory. They have hit five goals in each of their two games and although they needed extra-time to see off Carlow they haven’t looked back since. Cathy Carey has been in outstanding form as too have Grainne McLaughlin, sisters Aoife and Caitlin Taggart and Theresa Mellon while Michelle Magee returned against Limerick and she brings an added dimension to the attack.
